The biggest event of the year for the French-based team and its title sponsor, Dovizioso and Crutchlow spent much of the race dicing with seven time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi for third - pulling them closer to Casey Stoner in the process.

But while Rossi went on to catch and pass Stoner, the Tech 3 riders fell in separate incidents.

Crutchlow, who led the morning warm-up, was first to go – lowsiding from his M1 on lap 19 of 28. Dovizioso then dropped out of a safe fourth with just four laps remaining.

Both rejoined to finish seventh (Dovizioso) and eighth (Crutchlow) respectively.

But it was impossible not to think what might have been.

“The battle with Cal and Valentino was hard but a lot of fun and it is a shame that I crashed while I still had a very good chance of my first podium for Tech 3 and Yamaha,” said Dovizioso, who set the second-fastest race lap.

“I really wanted to achieve it here in the Team's home race, and also an important race f or our sponsor Monster. The last 12 laps my front tyre kept closing but Valentino couldn't escape from me and I could see we were catching Casey.

“I knew that I was pushing right on the limit with the tyres but I wanted to try and go with Valentino. It is a pity to crash but I'm really happy with my feeling with the Yamaha now.”

Crutchlow also took comfort from the fact that he had again been in contention for what could have been a debut grand prix rostrum.

“I'm not happy to have crashed while I was fighting for the podium, but the consolation is that at least I was battling for the top three again,” he said. “It was a great battle with Andrea and Valentino but I see med to miss out on a bit of speed on the straight compared to them. That meant I had to make up all my time in the corners.

“It was a shame I crashed because I was fighting with Valentino and he finished second. There was a chance of the podium today but at least I was there and I lost so much time after the crash that to still finish eighth is a bonus really.”

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Crashes all round for Tech 3 this weekend, with Bradley Smith also hitting the deck and Xavier Simeon suffering several broken bones. You just get the feeling sometimes that Tech 3's home event is cursed.
No shame in crashing in these conditions though. Both the MotoGP guys were pushing hard for the podium and it made for a great show while it lasted. I hope we get more battles like that in the rounds to come!